The Rev. C. M. Zwingle, senior minister of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, died Wednesday afternoon at a convalescent center in Nashville. He was 90 on Oct. 6.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Brentwood Cumberland Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Blake Warren, pastor, officiating.
Burial will be at Bybee Chapel cemetery in Warren County at 3 p.m.
The body will lie in state from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at Martin's and Bracey-Welsh, 209 Louise Ave., and at the church from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday.
A native of Warren County, the Rev. Mr. Zwingle was the son of the late Rev. J. H. Zwingle and Mrs. Zwingle. The family of ministers traces back to Ulrich Zwingle, a Swiss co-worker of Martin Luther whose name usually appears as "Zwingli."
Moving to Mississippi as a boy, he became a ministerial candidate in 1901 at New Hope Presbytery. After completing school at Castle Heights and Cumberland University in Lebanon, fulltime pastorates followed in Mississippi and Indiana.
The Rev. Mr. Zwingle came to Arrington Street church (now merged into Parkwood Cumberland Presbyterian) in 1922, and has lived at 1011 Maxwell Ave. in East Nashville since 1922.
He continued an active ministry until a year ago when he became ill. His last sermon was preached at Blue's Hill church near McMinnville. Members of the church enjoyed his preaching so much that for years they had provided transportation for him each Sunday. Most of his 72 years of preaching have been in the Nashville area.
Surviving are a brother, Paul Zwingle, Nashville; a sister, Mrs. Milton Green, Orange City, Fla.; two sons, J. L. Zwingle, Washington, D.C., and Earl Zwingle, San Francisco; seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
[Source: Loose newspaper clipping in file]
Rev. C. M. Zwingle who observed his 90th birthday October 6, died in Nashville November 21. He was the only living minister who was ordained before 1906--at the time of the church division.
The funeral was held in Nashville and his survivors include two sons, James L. Zwingle of Washington, D.C., and Earl Zwingle of California.
He had served in the ministry for 71 years, having begun his ministerial career at the age of 19. He served pastorates in Evansville, Ind.; Union City, Tenn. and Nashville, and numerous other pastorates in Tennessee. He was stated clerk of the Tennessee Synod for 40 years. He had been on various denominational boards and agencies and also was a very active evangelist.
His last pastorate was the Blues Hill church, near McMinnville, Tenn.
[Source: The Cumberland Presbyterian, December 4, 1973, page 3]